While the axiom "an elephant never forgets" is widely well-known, it doesn't quite encapsulate how resourceful pachyderms actually are — especially when it comes to seeking out their food sources.
Case in point? Two Asian elephants at the Kamine Zoo in Hitachi City, Japan, where scientists observed how these mammals could forage for inaccessible food sources and found that the enclosed mammals used their trunks to blow their snacks closer to them.
The researchers essentially set up a treat-filled scavenger hunt for the pachyderms, placing apples, bamboo shoots, leaves, hay, potatoes and likeminded delectables in spots that provided an obstacle for the elephants for a direct pick-up. When presented with a scenario that barred a direct grab, the elephants used a method reminiscent of a leaf-blower to move their food into a more accessible area.
To collect quantifiable data, scientists measured the length of each respective trunk, the proximity of the food source and the length of each elephantine blow.
In addition to this, the scientists also noted that there were "individual differences in the elephants' aptitude for this technique, which altered the efficiency of food acquisition. Thus, we added a new example of spontaneous behavior for achieving a goal in animals," according to their results.
The study also proved that elephants have an additional use for the act of blowing through their trunks, which before, was otherwise only thought to be utilized for "self-comfort" and communicating with each other.
Via: Gizmodo
